Senior Legal Advisor

Forrest Recruitment Ltd.; Cheadle; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A Senior Legal Advisor role is being recruited to join a leading charity's Legal team in Stockport. This permanent post offers the chance to provide strategic legal guidance across governance, regulatory compliance and operations, ensuring ethical and best-practice standards are upheld.

The role is based in Stockport with salary up to £70,000 DOE. As the organisation's principal legal adviser, you will work with the Board of Trustees and Executive Team, manage complex negotiations and oversee

Qualifications

• Recognised legal qualification with practising status or eligibility.
• Degree in Law (LLB) or equivalent.
• Strong knowledge of charity law, governance and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Act as principal legal adviser to the Board of Trustees and senior leadership.
• Lead on corporate governance, board effectiveness, and regulatory reporting.
• Develop a robust legal and governance framework for long-term objectives.
• Identify and mitigate emerging legal and regulatory risks.
• Advise on charity law, company law, fundraising regs, data protection.
• Oversee complex negotiations and external counsel when needed.
• Advise on high-value partnerships and international collaborations.
• Provide legal oversight across safeguarding, employment and IP.
• Monitor legislation affecting the charity sector and regulatory changes.
• Represent the charity with regulators, donors and partners.
• Promote governance, accountability and ethical practice.
• Support strategic decision-making with clear practical advice.

Skills

Charity law knowledge

Governance experience

Regulatory compliance

Strategic advisory

Education

LLB or equivalent law degree

Job description

Senior Legal Advisor - Stockport - Permanent - up to £70,000 DOE

We are delighted to be supporting a leading charity with the recruitment of a Senior Legal Advisor to join their Legal team. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced legal professional to play a key role in supporting the charity's operations, governance and strategic objectives. As the organisation's principal legal adviser, you will provide expert guidance across a broad range of legal, regulatory and governance matters, helping to ensure the charity operates effectively, ethically and in line with best practice.

Working closely with the Board of Trustees, Executive Team and senior stakeholders, you will provide strategic and commercially focused legal advice, while identifying and managing legal and regulatory risk across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the charity's principal legal adviser, providing strategic advice to the Board of Trustees, Executive Team and senior leadership.
• Lead on corporate governance matters, including Board effectiveness, trustee responsibilities, constitutional matters and regulatory reporting.
• Develop and maintain a robust legal and governance framework supporting the charity's long-term objectives and international operations.
• Identify emerging legal, regulatory and sector-specific risks and develop proactive strategies to mitigate these.
• Provide advice on charity law, company law, fundraising regulations, data protection and other relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
• Lead on complex negotiations, contractual disputes, investigations and other sensitive legal matters, including managing external legal counsel where appropriate.
• Advise on high-value partnerships, funding agreements, commercial arrangements and international collaborations.
• Provide legal oversight across safeguarding, employment, intellectual property and organisational policy development.
• Monitor changes in legislation and developments across the charity sector, ensuring the organisation remains informed and prepared for regulatory change.
• Represent the charity in dealings with regulators, government bodies, donors, partners and other external stakeholders.
• Promote a culture of strong governance, accountability and ethical practice across the organisation through advice, leadership and knowledge sharing.
• Support strategic decision-making by providing clear, practical legal advice that balances risk with operational and organisational objectives.

You will ideally have:

• A recognised legal qualification, such as Solicitor, Barrister, Chartered Legal Executive or equivalent, with current practising status or eligibility to practise.
• A degree in Law (LLB) or equivalent legal qualification.
• Strong knowledge and experience of charity law, governance and regulatory compliance.

Please note that due to high volume of applications we receive, only those successfully shortlisted for the role will be personally contacted